I've been sitting on this post for a while but I finally found time to sort through my Tokyo pics and compile this little photo diary of my trip below. As you know, I was in Tokyo for a 4 day tradeshow called Roomslink Tokyo. This was my first ever tradeshow and the weeks preceding the trip were a bit of a manic dash to complete samples and print lots and lots of linesheets/flyers/press releases. I arrived feeling very nervous but excited to finally be in a city that has fascinated me since childhood. This was the view from where we were staying... it seemed right out of Lost in Translation.

Except I wasn't filled with melancholy...

Everyday, we commuted into Shibuya where the tradeshow was being hosted. I was pretty excited to be experiencing the archetypal Tokyo subway commute... and I couldn't help but be amazed at how calm and collected everyone was despite the crowds. I even got to witness a white gloved assistant packing the trains to full capacity during rush hour

This is me being a poser on the Shibuya crossing. I've been a city dweller my whole life but even I found this piece of urban engineering something to behold.

This was the entrance to Roomslink. Very cool and club like...I had one rail and 2 mannequins in my booth and the first thing we did upon arrival was steeaaaam everything. Roomslink is a super organised fair and they had little steamers in cute flowery bags that you could borrow. We decorated our Book of Deer display with flowers and pics from our SS14 photoshoot. My booth was prime positioned for people watching. It was situated smack bang in the centre next to a coffee cart so I got to check out all the cool people walking around. We had an array of visitors, ranging from local fashion students to buyers to bloggers. I was very fortunate to have my Japanese brother-in-law manning the booth with me. This made engaging with visitors much easier. The most essential moment of any meeting in Asia is the exchanging of namecards and I was happy to leave the show with a small pile of contacts to follow up on. The tradeshow was a good experience not only in potentially broadening Book of Deer's exposure but hopefully in also building relationships with people across more sectors of the Fashion industry. I not only enjoyed hearing feedback from buyers but also students and other designers. The majority of brands were from Japan but there were also brands from Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and Hong Kong. I discovered some brands to add to my favourites list....Migh-T by Kuniko Watari from Osaka, Painkiller from Bangkok and 202FACTORY from Korea.

 

I already knew that food is a major attraction of Tokyo but I didn't expect the food at the tradeshow to also live up to the hype. There were new vendors each day, ranging from bicycle carts selling bread to gourmet ice lolly stands. Presentation is key in Japan and everything was packaged so beautifully! ..But the food outside the tradeshow? Well that was even better! Each meal was an oppotunity to try something new and I think it's safe to say I took advantage of the excuse to be greedy. Now as the main purpose of this trip was work, I didn't have much time to explore Tokyo's many shopping districts... most regretfully I had to skip Harajuku. I did manage to spend one glorious evening at the famous Shibuya 109 mall though. This mall is a complex of small themed boutiques targeting the early 20s consumer. The main trend seemed to be the pop, graphic, cartoony attire favoured by celebrities these days but there were also a lot of shops serving the kawaii, fairytale look. I did notice that regardless of fashion subculture hems were very very short, heels very high and knee high socks popular across the board. Prices weren't cheap despite this being a young person's shopping mecca but me and my sister left with a decent haul. I got an adorable velvet pinafore and 2 cute hats. My sister got some dance tops and printed tights. And so concludes my trip to Japan! It seems quite surreal now as the whole thing passed in a flurry of stress, excitement and frantic activity. It's safe to say I will be back, Tokyo!.. and I hope to be announcing some Japanese stockists before long.

So after a whirlwind trip to Scotland I am back in London and absorbing myself in AW13 designing. I won't giveaway the theme just yet but I definitely took inspiration from the rural scenery and cosy nights in my Papa's living room. Here are a few snaps taken in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Kelso, St Abbs, Jedburgh and Edinburgh... don't you feel cold just looking at it? Nothing like that bracing wind to get you dreaming up Wintery print ideas, I wish I could bottle up that Scottish air!

I've been a follower of Made Different for ages, as a creative herself, blogger Kim has a certain knack for honing in on fine design across many disciplines. Her blog is also heavy on the images which is perfect for someone like me who scrolls as if I'm channel hopping! Kim interviewed me back when I released the SS12 collection and I was really pleased to hear her kind feedback on Book of Deer's SS13 collection. You can read the full post here.... and be sure to scroll down for more of Kim's pretty posts! x

Last week I was invited to Milk Magazine headquarters for an interview on me and my favourite things. I was told to bring 6 items that were either tools of my trade or things that inspire my work. I tried to bring items that were interesting, nobody wants to know that I use a scanner everyday do they?What I wore to my interview

1) A sketchbook. This one contains all the illustrations I developed and used in my SS12 collection. It's nice to look back when a collection is finished and recall the humble beginnings of a print in a quick doodle.

2) Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours'. Probably my favourite CD of all time- there's a song for every mood. I remember the first time I heard it, I was probably around 18 and going through my 'Oldies' phase. I found it so uplifting and somehow familiar. As cheesy as it sounds 'Go Your Own Way' is still my go-to song to shake me out of a gloomy slump. 'Dreams' is soothing in the background when you're working on something really tedious or want to slip into a creative reverie.

3) My Pantone colour cards. A practical item but indispensable nonetheless. Pantone numbers are the most precise way for me to communicate to my fabric supplier the exact shade and colour I want my final product to be. A print design on the screen can look very different once it gets printed on fabric, luckily people speak Pantone all over the world.

4) My biro collection. I do most of my illustrations and prints with black ball-point pens. You would be amazed at the range of ink flow and line strength a simple biro can have. Cost is no indication of a pen's quality... some of my favourite pens were picked up (or nicked) from hotels, restaurants, airplanes and offices. I can't walk past an old school stationers without picking up a classic bic.

5) The 'Ember shirt' and a fashion illustration from my SS13 collection. This is my favourite print from my new collection because it glows-in-the-dark. The illustration of this print took me a good few days to do because I coloured it in completely with ball-point pen. I drew a girl holding a far of glowing fireflies, her face lit up from the light of her jar and the luminousity of her dress.

6) My favourite book, 'Faeries' written and illustrated by Brian Froud. It's no secret that I am fascinated with faeries, I've believed in them since I was little. I bought this book when I was 12 and it solidified my belief in the faerie realm even more. Brian Froud's illustrations are both realistic and ethereal, to this day his drawings capture my imagination. I refer to it for inspiration from time to time, putting me back in touch with the world of folklore and nature on days when the computer screen gets too much. Pick up this week's Milk Magazines from any 7-11 or streetside newspaper stand to read the interview in Chinese. It really impresses me how much content is in this weekly magazine. After visiting their vast office I can see how much in-house creativity there is, they work at such a fast and productive pace. Thank you Milk Magazine for one of the more unusual interviews I have done so far! x